Ask the Knitters

Dear Knitters,

Like a lot of you, I've been knitting more in the past year (I may take up crochet too). I have been knitting for years, but made my first pair of socks in 2020 (with yarn from the Simply Socks sale bin). I've seen a lot of cute "sock sets" lately with a full sized skein and a mini skein but I am just not too sure yet. I have a couple things holding me back.

1. Where do you start the mini-skein colors? When you start the heel flap? And when you start the decrease for the toes? (I'm knitting top down.) Is it just the flap that's the new color, or the decreasing part after the flap too?
2. Do you have a certain pattern you love that uses a "sock set"? Either one for socks or for a shawl or other accessory. I knit all sorts of things, so I'm interested in learning what you like. I'm on Ravelry, so those links would be nice.

Thank you for your advice!

Caroline in KY

*                    *                    *

Help a knitter out and leave your advice in the comments section below.  Have a question you'd like to see answered here?  Simply title an e-mail Ask the Knitters and send it on to [email protected] . Your question could be chosen for this series.

Comments

[Debra Cohen]

When using another color in addition to the main color I star right at the top with the ribbing. Then work the body of the sock in your main color. Then I do the heel flap in the extra color...main color for the foot...extra color on the toe. Plain vanilla pattern works just fine but you can pick any pattern that speaks to you.

[Gloriane]

I love Susan B. Anderson’s Smooth Operator Socks pattern. It uses an afterthought heel, which I like for contrasting yarn. I use the contrasting yarn for the ribbing, the heel and the toe, starting with the first toe decrease row.

[Megan]

For top-down socks, it’s usually the contrast color for the ribbed cuff, the heel flap + turning the heel, and the toe beginning with decreases. Coffee Talk is a nice patterned sock with contrasting cuff/heel/toe, for an example of this.

Personally, I prefer knitting either an afterthought heel, or doing toe-up with a short row heel, when I am using a mini. I just like the look of the symmetrical heel in the contrast color instead of only the flap & heel turn, and the one time I tried knitting the gusset in the contrast color too, I was not happy with how it ended up looking.

Keep in mind you can also use a mini in other ways, too! You can colorblock, do a stranded or mosaic colorwork motif on the leg, do some scattered stripes, etc. Confectionary Socks are a good example of the last idea.

[Rita]

Ive been reading through the recent blogs and have a request. Please proofread before you post. The blogs are FULL of typos and it's very distracting.

[Rita]

Re previous post...I've, not Ive. Lol.

[Allison]

Oh, Rita, I’m sorry to hear my writing is distracting. I’ll try and do better. I’m so happy to know that you find 16 years worth of my journaling worth a read though. Thank you for that!
Perhaps you can reframe it and think of it being written by a real woman with quirks and imperfections, instead of by a marketing person or widget to get clicks? One who might be under caffeinated and over tired from her work and child wrangling? That would definitely be accurate. Ha!

[judy]

Love your blog posts!
They are wonderful sources for new patterns - and you know about that rabbit hole!
They are great for yarn and color ideas.
And keeping up with your lovely family is such a pleasure, especially now that the store isn't open for personal shopping.
Please don't change a thing!

[Anne]

Hello. I do love the minis for accents on toes, heels, and cuffs. I also love the way they look as the last inch or two on shawls/scarves like Hitchhiker and Woollsia. Also Casapinka has a new pattern Raspberry Cordial that uses mini skeins or left overs. Thanks for the blogs Allison- it has been a bright spot for me especially during the stress of the pandemic.

[Rita K]

Allison: I love your blog posts and look everyday for them. This is one Rita that loves what do for us sock knittters.

[Tobey S]

I have never done a toe up sock or afterthought heel, is there a basic pattern for that? a I only knit on 5 needles or a 9 inch circular......thanks